Election Commission issues notice to KCR over alleged anti Hindu remarks

The Election Commission of India issued a notice to Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for his alleged anti Hindu remarks at a public meeting at Karimnagar last month. Rao reportedly made certain statements, which prompted the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to lodge a complaint against him, leading to a notice by the ECI.

In his election campaigns, Rao, taking a dig at the BJP, had also earlier said that he was a true Hindu and that nobody had undertaken as many Yagnas as him. The ECI notice to Rao asked him to respond by 12 April, failing which the poll body would initiate action against him

Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar on Wednesday said that a report on Rao's statement had been submitted to the ECI. The issue pertains to a speech made on 17 March, he said at a press conference on Wednesday, a day before the elections. When asked what exactly the objectionable remarks were, Kumar, at a press conference, said that he could not recollect the statements.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi, led by Rao, has not issued any statement on the issue so far. Telangana, along with the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, goes to polls in a single phase on 11 April. Raos TRS, which has close to 100 legislators including defections in the state assembly, is aiming to win 16 of the 17 Lok Sabha seats.